Borderline
The Ballroom Thieves Lyrics

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Well I left home in the evening
And I came home in the morning
All the same

I mean I saw two hands that moved
But that′s the only proof
That anything was changing
I heard that love is only an illusion

For the masochists and martyrs

So I went diving for a song
But it all took too long
And now I'm treading water

All alone on the borderline
Running fast, not to fall behind
I have a body but I can′t call it mine
I still do from time to time

Now all the moments look like photographs
I took but didn't feel the need to save
No one cares to call my number
No one dares to pull me under any waves

Some say that life is only what you manifest
And I'm not the best
And I don′t know much about it

Still I can see anxiety will be the death of me
But I worry over who I would or wouldn′t
Be without it

All alone on the borderline
Running fast, not to fall behind
I have a body but I can't call it mine
I still do from time to time

All alone on the borderline
Running fast, not to fall behind
I have a body but I can′t call it mine
I still do from time to time
I still do from time to time

I'm all alone on the borderline
Running fast, not to fall behind

I have a body but I can′t call it mine
I still do from time to time

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Ballroom Thieves' "Borderline" express the journey of a person who feels lost and disconnected from their own body and identity. The song opens with the singer describing leaving home in the evening and returning in the morning, with no major changes having taken place in their life. They describe a feeling of stagnation and frustration with the lack of progress or growth in their life.

The singer then references the idea that love is an illusion, suggesting that only those who enjoy pain and suffering pursue it. This pessimistic view is contrasted by their search for meaning in music, which they describe as taking too long and leaving them treading water. The chorus repeats the phrase "all alone on the borderline," emphasizing the singer's sense of isolation and disconnection.

The second verse continues this theme, with the singer describing their memories as photographs that they took but didn't feel the need to save. They feel invisible and unheard, with no one calling their number or daring to pull them under any waves. The singer acknowledges that they do not have all the answers and that anxiety may eventually consume them. Despite this, they worry about who they would be without their struggles.

Overall, the lyrics to "Borderline" express a sense of hopelessness and despair in the face of existential questions and isolation. The singer's journey is a reminder that many people experience feelings of disconnection and disassociation, and that the search for meaning and purpose is an ongoing struggle.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I left home in the evening And I came home in the morning All the same
I left and returned home but nothing really changed, life feels stagnant.

I mean I saw two hands that moved But that's the only proof That anything was changing
The only sign of change I saw was physical movement, but it wasn't enough to truly feel a difference.

I heard that love is only an illusion For the masochists and martyrs
I've heard that love isn't real and only makes people suffer.

So I went diving for a song But it all took too long And now I'm treading water
I tried finding purpose and meaning through music, but it's not happening and now I feel stuck.

All alone on the borderline Running fast, not to fall behind I have a body but I can't call it mine I still do from time to time
I feel lost and disconnected from myself, but sometimes I still feel like the person I used to be.

Now all the moments look like photographs I took but didn't feel the need to save No one cares to call my number No one dares to pull me under any waves
Life feels like a series of memories that have no meaning, no one reaches out to me and no one tries to help with my struggles.

Some say that life is only what you manifest And I'm not the best And I don't know much about it
I've heard that life is created by our thoughts and actions, but I don't feel equipped to make my life better.

Still I can see anxiety will be the death of me But I worry over who I would or wouldn't Be without it
I know that my anxiety is harmful, but I also fear losing it because it's been a constant part of my life.

I'm all alone on the borderline Running fast, not to fall behind I have a body but I can't call it mine I still do from time to time
I am still lost and uncertain, trying to keep up but feeling like I don't truly belong or know myself.

Writer(s): Calin Jean Peters, Martin Edgar Earley

Contributed by Amelia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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